Ice making apparatus



G. W. HARRIS, SR

Feb. 13, 1962 3,020,730

ICE MAKING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z up; my I Feb.13, 1962 Filed Aug. 3, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G1 1 bar? WHarr S,Sn

JNVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofifice 3,020=,7 30 ICE MAKING APPARATUS Gilbert W.Harris, Six, Portland, reg.,.assignor to Water Process Corporation,Portland, Oreg., a corporation of Qregon Filed Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No.831,270 9 Claims. (Cl. 62-307) This invention relates to ice makingmachinery, and more particularly to apparatus for manufacturing blocksof ice of convenient size for handling using individual molds for eachblock. The invention is characterized by a number of novel featureswherein blocks of ice of superior quality are produced, and producedrapidly and substantially automatically.

Generally, it is an object ot this invention to provide improvedicemaking machinery that is considerably more compact and eificient inoperation than apparatus previously known.

Another general object is to provide improved ice making machineryconstructed and arranged so that a minimum amount of heat loss takesplace in the apparatus, and enabling, as a result, the efiicientproduction of'ice.

A still further general object is to provide improved mechanism foreliminating impurities and turbidity from ice blocks.

There is a need for ice making machinery operable to freeze blocks ofice in a size permitting immediate sale without first having to cut. upthe blocks. The usual equipment employed in manufacturing block icecomprises ice cans, brine, brine tanks and conveyor systems. The blocksproduced are. relatively massive, and require cranes and the like fortheir handling. The blocks must be divided into blocks of smaller sizebefore distribution. Further, the presence of the brine during. thefreezing process and handling of the ice has produced contaminationproblems. The manufacturing equipment has been bulky, inefficient andexpensive to install.

According to this invention individual blocks of ice of a sizeconvenient for sale or distribution are made in separate molds. Thus theblocks are ready for sale with out cutting or extensive handling. Theapparatus employed for producing the blocks is constructed to enableremoval of the ice blocks from the molds by flotation.

The constructoinalso permits the forming of ice blocks with minimalamounts of water in excess of that going into the formation of icesubjected to the cooling process. As a result, savings in the energyused in the extraction of heat from the water results. The molds formaking the ice are provided with novel means for cooling and heatingthem in sequence, whereby icefirst may be formed and then loosened f'omthe molds.

According to an embodiment of this invention, the icemaking unitcomprises a frame, and a basin portion for holding water mounted on' theframe. Depending downwardly from the bottom of this basin portion andjoined thereto are a plural number of recessed molds. These are taperedtoward their bottom ends, and have often top ends that connect with theinterior of the basin portion. The bottoms of the'molds are closed, andwater is confined during manufactureof ice to the interior of the: moldsand the basin.

For aerating and removing impurities from the forming ice, each of themolds 'is provided with an air jet means that projects. through the baseof the mold and includes a constricted orifice for directing a regulatedstream of air up through the mold. The diameter of'the orifice isrelatively small, and in the usual instance. may

range from 0.01 to 0.02". Compressed air (.at rela- -tively lowpressure) is fed through the orifice to produce .the air stream. The:air. acrates the ice, and thusremoves Patented Feb. 13, 1962 turbiditytherefrom. It also causesimpurities to 'float t'o the top of the moldand intothe basin, where-they may be removed. Relatively small amountsof air aroused (due to the small diameter of the orifice feedingthe airand the low pressure ofthe air), and any heating effect of theair-is-relati-vely minor.

Because of thesmall diameter orifice used, it has been found importantthat means be provided for condensing and removing moisture from theair. Moisture and foreign particles in the air quickly cause clogging ofthe orifice and stop the jet stream. 'Thus inanembodiment of theinvention, a compressor is employed for compressing air, and thecompressed air is sent through a condenser section Where a coolant coolsthe compressed air to produce moisture condensation. The air, withmoisture removed therefrom, is't-hen sent throughthe jets, andcontinuous operation results. To remove condensed moisture from theconduit feeding air to the jets, a slap ing header section is providedthat slopes downwardly to a bleeder valve. This latter valve is leftopen during operation of the machine. The bleeder valve performs thefunction of allowing the draining of moisture from the header section.It also'provides a means automatically for controlling the pressure ofthe air admitted through the jets. As ice forms in the molds, the airstreams finjd increasing resistance topassage through the molds, andthepressure of the air increases. The bleeder valveprevents more than amoderate increase in pressure from occurring while permitting someslight increase.

Each of the molds is provided with side walls and a. bottom. About theexterior of each mold are heating and cooling means. The "side walls andbottom of a mold are made of heat-conductive material, and heattransform and from the contents of the mold takes place both at thebottom and sides, resulting in efficient forming of an ice block. Aninsulating strip around the top of each mold and between the mold andthebasin' prevents ice formation beyond a certain height in the mold.Columns of air encircle each depending mold and separate the molds.Water used in freezing is carried only in the mold cavities and in thebasin above the molds. The construction is simple, employs air as partof the insulating medium in the apparatus, .makes. possible fast heatingand cooling of the molds, and reduces substantially the overall chargeof water requiredfor the formation of a given quantity of ice. I

Thus it is a more specific object'of the invention to provide improvedmachinery for manufacturing block ice wherein any water. in'theapparatus to be transformed turbidity and impurities, and .whereinsaid.air jet exhausts exclusively into the mold cavity .and maximumbenelitsare derived from minimum amounts. of air Still another object of. theinvention is.to provide im proved air jet means for removing turbidityinforming ice wherein the-jet meansis fedwithifiltered. andrdehumidified-a.ir, enabl-ing1tlre useof a small-.-, diameter j ct means andcompressed air at relativelyq1ow1pressures, wit-houtineurring;frequentclogging ofthe jet A still further object is to provide an improvedconstruction for supplying compressed air in streams to mold cavitiesfor ice wherein means is provided automatically for removingcondensedmoisture from the compressed air and at the same time for stabilizingthe pressure of the air in the air streams as ice forms in the molds.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by the invention,the same being described hereinbelow in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice-making unit embodying theinvention, showing the top of a cabinet for the unit and the basin anddepending mold portions present in the unit;

FIG. 2 is a section view, generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1 andslightly enlarged, showing details of the basin and a mold dependingtherefrom, and illustrating by dashed lines how ice forms in the mold;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the air jet means provided at the base ofeach mold;

FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of a typical piece of ice formed in theapparatus; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the means for heating and coolingthe ice molds and of the mechanism delivering compressed air to the airjet means.

7 Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2,10 indicates generally an ice making unit of the invention. As shown,this comprises a cabinet frame 12 of rectangular configuration mountingnear the top of the unit and above the floor a basin portion indicatedat 14. The latter comprises side and end walls 16 and 18, respectively,and a bottom 20. Basin portion 14 has projecting downwardly from thebase thereof recessed mold portions 22. The mold portions are tapered,and have sides 26, 28 that converge toward each other at the bottom ofthe molds. Bottoms 24 close off the bases of the molds. The moldportions are opened at their top ends, and their interiors connect withthe interior of basin 14.

The basin and mold portions may be made of one piece of material.Preferably the mold portions are comprised of heat-conductive material,such as aluminum and the like, to make etficient the transfer of heat toand from the molds. The basin portion, since it is not used as a heatconducting medium and is most efiicient if insulated,

:may be made of material other than aluminum. Thus in the embodimentillustrated, the mold portions are separate from the basin portion andare joined to the basin portion by screws 30. Extending along the sidesand covering the base of the basin portion 14 outwardly of the molds isa layer of insulating material indicated at 32. The molds are joined toportion 14 through a layer of insulating material 33. Layer 32 inhibitsthe absorption of heat by water in the basin portion and contributes togreater efficiency. By separating the tops of the molds from the basin14 with insulating material 33, ice formation at the top of the molds isprevented, which makes possible the forming of regularly shaped iceblocks and contributes to easier removal of ice blocks after they areformed.

It has been found that during the manufacture of ice,

' unless the water being transformed to ice is aerated, the

finished ice blocks will be turbid or cloudy. To aerate the ice andprevent thisturbidity, and also to remove impurities from the water,provision is made for directing a stream of air into the bottom of eachmold. Thus there is included at the base of each mold a conduit sectionor pipe means 36 for feeding compressed air to the mold. At the end ofeach conduit section 36 is a plug or air jet means 38. Plug 38 isprovided with a constricted passage 40 connecting the interior of themold and the interior of conduit section 36. The end of passage 40a thatopens to the mold constitutes a constricted orifice in an air jet meansthat extends through bottom 24. Passage 40 and aperture 40a haverelatively small diameters.

This serves to restrict the volume of air passing through each mold overa given time. A large volume of air is undesirable as it introduces heatand makes for less efficient operation. It should be noted that thestream of air is fed directly to the mold interior with bottom 24closing off any escape of air around the outside of the mold.

Surrounding each of the depending mold portions is a system of coolingcoils or windings 42 (that carry a circulated coolant) and electricheater coils of windings 44. These are wrapped around the exterior ofthe molds with their inner surfaces contacting the heat-conductive moldwalls. Over the coils 42, 44 and providing a heat-com ducting mediumbetween outer portions of the coils and the mold is a layer ofheat-conductive mastic material 46. This mastic material contributes tobetter extraction of heat from the mold when using cooling coils 42, andtransfer of heat to the mold when using heater coils 44. Note that byproviding each mold with both walls and a bottom 24, heat transfer maytake place over an enlarged area. It should also be noted that theconstruction de scribed confines water to a location within and above"below basin 14. Ordinary atmospheric air may contain considerablemoisture. The presence of moisture in the air has been found severely toimpair operation of the apparatus when a small aperture 40a is used inthe air jet means. This is for the reason that the moisture tends tocrystallize as ice over the aperture and plug it up. Means 50 thusincludes dehumidification means 50a for removing excess moisture fromthe air.

Specifically, and referring again to FIG. 5, 60 indicates an aircompressor having an intake 62 for drawing air from the atmosphere. Thelatter is covered by an air filter 64 that removes solid foreignparticles. Compressor 60 is driven by an electric motor 66 turned on andoff by control switch 68. Compressed air from compressor 60 passes fromoutlet 69 of the compressor through a conduit means 70 to the jet means38. Conduit means 70 includes section 7011, an inverted loop or trapsection 70b and a header section 700. Connections to the jet means 38(by conduit sections 36) are from header section 700. The

header section slopes downwardly from the connections with jet means 38to an outlet or discharge end 72 connecting with sewer line 74. Atdischarge end 72 the header section is provided with a bleeder valve,indicated at 76.

Heater coils 44 are connected in parallel to source condoctors 80, 82.One of the conductors connects to a switch 84 used for turning on andoff the heaters. The circuit for coils 44 also includes a thermostatcontrol switch 86 actuated by a thermostat 88. Switch 86 normally isclosed, but should the molds reach a certain temperature, the thermostatoperates to open switch 86 and cut off the supply of electricity toheaters 44.

Coolant or refrigerant is supplied cooling coils 42 by a refrigeratorsystem indicated generally at 90. This includes a compressor 92 whichcompresses refrigerant and discharges it through a heat exchanger 94.Here air dissipates heat from the compressed refrigerant, and therefrigerant thence passes to a reservoir 96. Proceeding from reservoir96 the refrigerant passes through a control valve 98, conduit 100, andan expansion valve 102. From but not as easily as water.

turning refrigerantito compressor" 92. Thus conduit 104 is operable toextract some heat from the compressed air flowing throu'ghsection 700.Section 70a constitutes a condenser section where condensation ofmoisture in the compressed air takes place through cooling of thecompressed air. Condensed moisture is carried along by air flowing inconduit means 70 to header section 70c, whence it flows by gravity down.sloping header section 70c to valve 76 and out the valve to sewer 74.The bleeder valve functions as a means for removing condensed moisturefrom the conduit means 70. supplying air to jet means 38.

To complete the description of the apparatus, a water supply line 120controlled by a valve 122 is used to fill the basin 14 and the variousmolds depending therefrom.

Line 124 is a drain line connecting to the sewer, and line 126 is anoverflow line also connected to the sewer and determining themaximumlevel of the water in the basin.

In operation, air is compressed by compressor 60 and thence delivered byconduit means 70 to the various air jet means. Bleeder valve 76 is leftopen. On traveling through condenser section 70a, water is condensedfrom the air, and this eventually travels through trap section 70b,header 70c and valve 76 to the sewer.

The molds and basin portion are then filled with water. Trap 70b isincluded to prevent water from flowing down through the various sections36 and into the compressor 60in the event the compressor is off andwater is present within the interiors of the molds. Note that trapsection 70b is at a higher elevation than the water line in the basin14determined by overflow line 126, such water line being indicated in FIG.at 127. After the molds are filled with water, compressor 92 may bestarted, and refrigerant circulated through coils 42.

During the formation of ice, the bleeder valve is effective to regulatethe pressure of air flowing through the various air jet means 38. As iceforms in the molds, it offers increasing resistance to air flow. Icetends to form as shown in FIG. 2 by the dashed lines 130a-e. Initiallyice covers the bottom and sides as shown at 130a. The ice then-builds upin a mold with the top surface of the forming block passing through thepositions of 130b, 1300, etc., until it levels otf at 130a. Smallpassages resembling veins are formed in the ice, as illustrated in FIG.4 at 128. These passages accommodate air flow, The bleeder valveprevents air pressure from rising sharply when the ice forms, byproviding an escape for larger and larger quantities of air. The valvepermits a moderate increase in air pressure to occur, however, which issufficient to assure that air flows through the forming ice. The bleedervalve, in passing off progressively more air, as ice forms, produces areduction of heat loss in the apparatus, by cutting down on thequantities of relatively warm air passing through the forming ice.

The ice making machine may be used continuously for the production ofice blocks at regular intervals. Thus, after ice cakes or blocks arecompletely formed, the ice may be freed from the molds by turning offthe compressor circulating refrigerant, and closing switch 84 to produceheating of the heater coils. This warms the molds and frees the iceblocks, enabling them to be floated out of the molds to prepare them forremoval from the apparatus. After ice is cleared from the apparatus, theentire process may be repeated to form new ice blocks.

It should be noted that the apparatus is constructed and arranged sothat the Water for freezing is carried entirely in the basin or withinthe molds, and not around the sides of the molds. The water capacity ofthe unit is relatively small compared to the weight of ice produced.Cooling and heating of the mold exteriors is done efliciently using theheating and cooling coils described. The absence of any water around themolds simplifies mounting of the molds and makes for easier maintenance.The columns of air surrounding the molds provide some degree of .mountedin a cabinet.

insulation. The molds themselves are designedto pr'omote efiicienttransfer of heat to and from the interiors of the molds.

The entire apparatus may .b'e'constructed as a unit Cranes are notneeded to move the ice blocks, nor is machinery necessary to reduce thesize of theice blocks. The apparatus is particularly useful in locationswhere a steady supply of twenty-five or fifty pound blocks of ice isdesired without having to. make a large capital outlay for a plant.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In block ice makingmachinery having air jetnreans for producing astream of air through ablock of ice, air supply means for said air jetmeans comprising the combination of an air compressor for compressingair having an intake and an outlet, conduit means connecting the outletof said compressor and said air jet means, and a bleeder valve with anoutlet wasting said air jet means included in said conduit meansproviding for the bleeding through its outlet of controlled amounts ofcompressed air from the conduit means, said bleeder valve and air jetmeans in concert providing for the discharge of compressed air from saidair compressor.

2. In ice making m achinery'for manufacturing blocks of ice having airjet means for producing a stream of air through a block of forming ice,air supply means for said air jet means comprising an air compressor forcompressing air having an intake and an outlet, conduit means connectingthe outlet of said compressor and said air jet means, said conduit meansincluding a condenser section between the outlet of the air compressorand said air jet means where moisture is condensed from. air flowing inthe conduit meansyand a bleeder valve connected to the conduit means onthe outlet side of said condenser section providing for the passage ofcontrolled amounts of compressed air from the conduit means, saidconduit means having a section sloping substantially continuouslydownwardly from said air jet means to said bleeder valve whereby anymoisture collecting in the section may flow out through said bleedervalve.

3. In machinery for making block ice having jet means for admitting astream of compressed air into a block of forming ice, a compressor forcompressing air having an intake and an outlet, conduit means connectingthe outlet of said compressor with said jet means, said conduit meanshaving an outlet end spaced below said jet means and an inclined sectionsloping downwardly continuously from said jet means toward said outletend, a bleeder valve for the conduit means providing for the exhaust ofcontrolled amounts of air therefrom and located at said outlet end, saidbleeder valve also accommodating the discharge of moisture from saidinclined section.

4. In ice making machinery for making blocks of ice from water having abasin portion for holding water, plural recessed mold portions joined tothe bottom thereof and projecting downwardly therefrom, air jet means atthe base of each mold portion for introducing into the bottom of themold portion a stream of air, the improvement comprising a supply of airunder pressure, means including a coolant conduit line for cooling eachof said mold portions, conduit means connecting the supply of air underpressure and each of said air jet means, said conduit means including acondenser section in juxtaposition with said coolant line andconstructed to enable heat transfer to take place between the two, saidconduit means also including a header section below the various air jetmeans and means connecting the header section with each of said air jetmeans, said header section sloping substantially continuously downwardlytoward an outlet end, and ableeder valve provided at the outlet end ofsaid header section, said bleeder valve providing for the constantdischarge of air under pressure from the header section and alsoaccommodating the outflow of moisture from the header section.

5. The machinery of claim 4 wherein the supply of air under pressurecomprises a compressor, and wherein at least a portion of the conduitmeans intermediate the compressor and the header section is at higherelevation than the normal water level in said basin portion.

6. In apparatus for the manufacture of block ice from water comprising aframe, a basin portion for holding water mounted in the frame havingrecessed mold portions laterally spaced one from another and projectingdownwardly from the base of said basin portion, each of said moldportions having side walls and a bottom completely closing off the basethereof, and air jet means provided each mold portion projecting throughthe bottom thereof and including a constricted orifice for introducing astream of air into the base of each mold portion, the improvementcomprising air supply means for said air jet means comprising an aircompressor having an intake and an outlet, and conduit means connectingthe outlet of said compressor with each of said air jet means, saidconduit means including a trap section intermediate the air jet meansand compressor spaced at higher elevation than the normal water level insaid basin portion thus to prevent the How of water by gravity from theinterior of a mold through an air jet means and said conduit means tosaid compressor, said conduit means also including a header sectionbelow the various air jet means and means connecting the header sectionwith each air jet means, said header section sloping continuouslydownwardly from the connections with the air jet means to a dischargeend, and a bleeder valve at the discharge end of said header sectionaccommodating the discharge of moisture from said header section.

7. In ice making machinery, mechanism for producing a stream of air in ablock of forming ice comprising air jet means; air compressor means forcompressing air having an intake and an outlet; conduit means connectingsaid outlet with said air jet means; said conduit means having acondensor section between the outlet of the air compressor and the airjet means Where moisture is condensed from air flowing through the same,a sloping section at the discharge end of the condensor section, andmeans joining the sloping section to the air jet means; and bleed meansat the discharge end of said sloping section accommodating the dischargeof water from the conduit means and also the discharge of controlledamounts of air.

.8. In apparatus for manufacturing block ice from water, a frame; abasin portion mounted in the frame for holding water and having recessedmold portions extending downwardly from the base thereof; air jet meansat the base of each mold portion communicating with its interior for thesupply of a stream of air thereto; an air compressor having an intakeand an outlet; a conduit connecting the outlet of the compressor withthe air jet means; said conduit includnig a trap section intermediatethe air jet means and the compressor spaced at higher elevation than thenormal water level in the basin portion thus to prevent the flow ofWater by gravity from a mold downwardly through an air jet means andinto the compressor, a header section, and means connecting the headersection with each air jet means Whereby the air jet means are suppliedwith air from the header section; and bleed means at the discharge endof the header section accommodating the discharge of water andcontrolled amounts of air therefrom.

9. In ice making machinery, an ice mold, and mechanism for producing astream of air in a block of ice forming in said mold comprising air jetmeans, air compressor means for compressing air having an intake and anoutlet, conduit means connecting said outlet with said air jet means,said conduit means having a section where compressed air is cooledfollowed, progressing from said outlet, by a sloping section having oneend below its other end, bleed means connected to said one end of saidsloping section accommodating the discharge of condensed moisturetherefrom and the discharge of controlled amounts of air, and pipe meansjoining said sloping section and said air jet means and connecting withthe sloping section at a location where moisture in the sloping sectionis diverted by gravity down the section to said bleed means rather thaninto said pipe means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS983,017 Beals Jan. 31, 1911 1,680,381 Jennings Aug. 14, 1928 2,221,694Potter Nov. 12, 1940 2,595,588 Lee May 6, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,888Great Britain June 6, 1902

